Kinshasa — The Sierra Leone senior men’s national team, the Leone Stars, arrived safely in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, on Sunday, 8 November 2026, ahead of their crucial two-legged TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) PAMOJA 2027 qualifying ties against DR Congo.
The delegation, led by Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) Executive Committee Member Abdul Pascal Gbla, checked into the five-star Golden Tulip Kin-Oasis Hotel as preparations intensify for the Group E encounters.
Foreign-based players Saidu Fofanah, Saidu Bah Kamara and Francis Koroma have linked up with the squad, joining Ibrahim Turay, who was already in Freetown on holiday. At least 12 more overseas-based players are expected to arrive on Monday, with the remaining members of the party due the following day.
In a late change to the squad, New York City FC forward Malachi Jones withdrew for personal reasons. Head coach Didier Gomes Da Rosa has called up Sierra Leone U-20 star and Ports Authority winger Papay Gumba Mansaray as his replacement. The young attacker is already in camp in Kinshasa and is set for his first involvement with the senior national team.
Sierra Leone will face the Leopards away in the first leg on Thursday, 12 November, at the Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa. The return leg is scheduled for Tuesday, 17 November, in Casablanca, Morocco (Stade Larbi Zaouli), where the Leone Stars will stage their “home” fixture.
The dual away trips underline ongoing challenges for Sierra Leonean football. The National Stadium in Freetown remains unavailable for international matches after failing to meet CAF standards, forcing the SLFA to seek alternative venues. Efforts to host the second leg in neighbouring Guinea or Liberia were unsuccessful due to scheduling conflicts, and a request to shift the date was rejected by DR Congo.
These matches carry heavy significance for the Leone Stars’ qualifying campaign. After a disappointing start to Group E — a 2-3 collapse against Zimbabwe in Morocco after leading 2-0, followed by a 0-1 defeat to Equatorial Guinea — Sierra Leone sit bottom of the group with zero points from two games. DR Congo lead the section with a perfect six points from wins over Equatorial Guinea and Zimbabwe.
Only the top two teams from each group will advance to the 2027 AFCON finals, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from mid-June to mid-July 2027. With four matches still to play after this window (including remaining fixtures against Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea in March 2027), positive results against the group leaders are essential if the Leone Stars are to revive their hopes of returning to the continental stage.
Coach Da Rosa’s 25-man squad mixes experienced campaigners with emerging talents, including returns from injury for players such as Augustus Kargbo and Ibrahim Turay. The technical team and players will now focus on acclimatising and preparing for the first leg in Kinshasa, where reports indicate the match may be played under restricted spectator conditions.
Sierra Leonean fans will be hoping the Leone Stars can produce a strong performance on the road and bring something tangible back from the double-header to keep qualification hopes alive.
